


Not You!

by defeatedbyabridge



Category: Samurai Sentai Shinkenger (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-28
Updated: 2012-03-28
Packaged: 2017-11-02 15:25:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/370495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/defeatedbyabridge/pseuds/defeatedbyabridge
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In a training exercise gone wrong, Takeru waits to be rescued...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Not You!

Takeru shifted on the bed, trying to get comfortable, but Jii had done his work too well.

Takeru wasn't actually bleeding at wrists or ankles, but if he struggled too much, he would be. Jii was good at this, which raised certain questions which Takeru tried not to think about. Maybe he'd spent some time as a cowboy. 

He shifted again, waiting for one of his ~~idiots~~ vassals to turn up and RESCUE HIM. It was no good if he could actually escape easily by himself. That was the whole point of it; to encourage them to SAFELY act alone. So Jii had picked this abandoned house on the edge of the Ako District for Takeru's prison, and he'd managed to persuade a group of kuroko to pretend to attack the others. They had to fight through and rescue him.

There was a slight breeze coming through the broken window, which was a relief in the heat. This was a tiny, rundown house, with nothing interesting to look at. He was tied up in the downstairs room, which seemed to be the kitchen/main bedroom/front hall all in one. 

He really should have thought this through better; after all there was no reason to believe that his vassals would actually manage to perform this task within mere minutes and every reason to believe that he could be stuck here for some days. Should have brought something to read, at least.

He sighed.

There was a sound from the door, as if someone was knocking. "It's locked, you idiot," Takeru called irritably. 

The door flew open, crashing hard against the opposite wall, revealing Chiaki in his Shinkenger suit, one foot raised. "It is I, your hero, ShinkenGreen!" he declaimed, and then he dropped the henshin.

He smirked, and started to laugh.

Takeru groaned. "Not you. Why did it have to be YOU?"

"Hey, Takeru? When I imagine stuff like this, I'm usually the one tied up, but I can work with whatever you want." 

* * *

Chiaki limped forward, grinning his head off, partly to disguise just how badly he wanted to fling himself at Takeru right now. His hands and feet were tied to an iron bedframe. He was on a cruddy old mattress, and while he was obviously trying NOT to struggle visibly, every now and then the urge got past even HIS iron control and he twitched.

So.  
Damn.  
Hot.

Except Chiaki had business to do. Dammit! "Actually, we have to go now," he said seriously, beginning to untie Takeru with no small amount of regret. "We got genuinely attacked. Mako's down. Ryunosuke and Kotoha are holding them off. Kotoha sent me in here to get you." 

He preferred to believe that was because of his winning way with ropes, not because he was the worst fighter out of the three of them. Though he did like that Kotoha was in charge this time, not Ryunosuke; one thing that Jii was surprisingly good at was making sure they all got their turn at being leader. And she was much better than Ryunosuke The Wonder Uke. 

Takeru frowned. "Why didn't anyone contact me?"

"They were watching here," Chiaki said, shrugging. "We couldn't get through until now." 

That was the hands done. He gently rubbed Takeru's left wrist. Takeru made a face but allowed it. He moved onto the right, but Takeru's left hand shot out and grabbed his wrist. "Feet next. I'm fine." 

Chiaki worked on his left foot, and Takeru himself worked on the right, considerably more slowly than Chiaki. Chiaki finished, and began chafing his ankle back into life. He didn't say anything about Takeru's speed because Takeru would be well aware of it and just because he didn't have a bokuto with him didn't mean he wouldn't smack Chiaki on the back of the head anyway. "I brought your ShodoPhone."

"At least you did something right," Takeru snapped. 

"Enh, whatever." Chiaki yanked it out of his pocket and tossed it to him, deliberately aiming a little high. Takeru caught it, but only after it bounced off the wall. He glared. 

Chiaki, who'd received a wide variety of glares, scowls, and general grouchy looks from Takeru in the last few weeks, ignored it cheerfully. 

Takeru swung his legs around and placed his feet on the ground. He pushed off, wobbled, and Chiaki got an arm around him. "I'm fine," Takeru growled through gritted teeth.

"Yeah, and Ryunosuke's got lots of self-esteem," Chiaki muttered. "Come on, let me hold you up long enough so you can henshin, at least, and you'll feel better." 

Takeru henshined, grumpily. Chiaki nodded. "Don't worry, I don't think you did that just because I suggested it," he said wryly. He henshined, too, and led the way to the door.

Some kind of bizarre fish headed monster appeared, blaster out. Without thinking Chiaki hurled himself in front of Takeru. The air lit up in front of him, and he felt himself convulse, head thrown back, arms out to the sides. Flame traced its path along every nerve.

He collapsed.

* * *

Mako yawned. She felt better already, but she wasn't allowed to get up yet. Stupid knee. She was certainly doing better than poor Chiaki, stretched out on the other bed in their tiny infirmary. He was conscious, but only barely. "I've given him something for the pain," Jii said briskly. "He'll be fine, but he won't remember most of today." 

Jii walked out. Mako closed her eyes, drifting gently in and out of consciousness. She'd had painkillers, too. Not something she wanted to need too often, but she couldn't deny she felt good. Floaty. 

"It's all over," she heard Takeru murmur. "Everything's fine, because of y- because of all of you."

"Sorry," Chiaki mumbled, sounding irritable and angry and confused. Mako wanted to hug him, but she knew she couldn't get up. 

She opened her eyes briefly, wondering if she really had them open or if she was dreaming. Takeru was smiling, just a little. 

Must still be dreaming.

"It's all right," Takeru said, surprisingly gentle. He leaned forward and pressed his lips lightly to Chiaki's forehead. Chiaki reached up with a shaky hand, gripping Takeru's shoulder. Takeru put a hand over his.

Mako felt herself drift away again.

* * *

Takeru was almost... regretful that Chiaki wouldn't remember anything from the previous day, but it was better that way, really. He stood in the infirmary doorway while Jii inspected the two invalids, pronouncing them both capable of getting up after lunch.

"Can we train then?" Mako asked.

Chiaki's protest was overridden by Jii's firm, "Definitely." Jii walked out, nodding at Takeru as he passed.

"The results were far from perfect, but the teamwork was better than expected," Takeru said, trying to encourage them both. "More will be expected of you next time." 

"Thanks SO much," Chiaki muttered. 

Takeru looked at him for a moment, waiting for something, which he didn't really understand and of course didn't eventuate. Chiaki had been 'high' on pain medication. It was better that way. Didn't matter. He was Shiba Takeru, ShinkenRed and Lord, and he didn't have time to be anything more than that to anyone. He nodded, and walked out. 

The last thing he heard as he closed the door was Mako saying hesitantly, "Chiaki, I think I have something to tell you..."


End file.
